Conflict (brass band version)

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The deliberately ambiguous title of Conflict is wide-ranging in its meaning. For some it could mean the scenario of an all out war, for others a small-scale, perhaps domestic dispute. It could also have a purely musical meaning of tension and release. I wanted to leave the final interpretation to the listener

There are two sections to the piece. It starts with a wild, energetic, chaotic, sometimes frantic movement, pitching groups of instruments against each other, both rhythmically and melodically. At times, the music seems to collapse in on itself, but after a moment of regrouping, emerges again with renewed vigour, until finally it subsides in confusion and uncertainty.

In the slow movement a resolution to the “conflict” is sought, is almost achieved, but fails at the last moment, leading to a final, despairing chord in the concert version, and the re-emergence of the first movement, briefly, in the contest version.